HANNAH HONG, MOLLIE CHA, co-founders, Hakuna Banana

Most banana ice cream or frozen dessert brands start with a dairy, coconut, or nut milk base, and then add sugar, banana, or banana flavor. Los Angeles based start-up Hakuna Banana​​ reverses this dynamic and starts with mashed bananas as its #1 ingredient to create a novel option in the burgeoning non-dairy category, with no added sugars or high intensity sweeteners.

The result - as co-founders and best friends Hannah Hong and Mollie Cha (who met at Berkeley as undergrads) like to describe it - is a “banana-based non-dairy nicecream​”​ with a short, clean label that is creamier than a sorbet, but far lower in fat and calories than dairy ice cream and most dairy-free alternatives.